Instant Genius How to build a healthier, longer-living society
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Aug 24, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, Devi Sridhar, a Professor of Global Public Health at the University of Edinburgh and author of 'How Not to Die (Too Soon)', dives into how societal structures impact our health. She challenges the myth of personal responsibility in wellness and highlights the importance of education and community support. Sridhar shares insights from the world’s longest-lived populations and outlines necessary policy changes to tackle food deserts, promote healthy eating, and enhance urban planning for better public health.
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Health Is Largely Socially Determined
- Health is shaped more by where we live and the policies that govern our communities than by individual will alone.
- Devi Sridhar argues the dominant
Blue Zones Are Places, Not Checklists
- Blue Zones reveal longevity patterns but their value comes from social and policy environments, not a checklist of habits.
- Devi Sridhar urges making more places function like Blue Zones through policy, not just personal change.
Change Food Environments, Not Just Choices
- Change diets by changing environments: make nutritious food affordable and available where people shop and eat.
- Start with school meals and shift markets toward less processed, more whole-food options.
